1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to tile systems and methods, and more particularly, to systems and methods for cleanable, slip resistant tile.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of tile systems and methods are known. In general, tile is a manufactured material used for covering floors, walls, roofs, and other similar areas. In many situations, tile can provide a desirable appearance, texture, feel, or other surface characteristic that is difficult or impossible to achieve by other means. Tiles are commonly made from ceramic materials, although they can be made from a variety of other materials such as wood, stone, metal, and glass. Moreover, tiles commonly have coatings that influence the surface characteristics of the tile. Some coatings, for example, can influence the color, roughness, or gloss of the tile.
Two important characteristics of a tile are (1) the ability to clean the tile (the “clean-ability” of the tile) and (2) the slip resistance of the tile. Clean-ability is important because dirty tiles are rarely desirable. In circumstances where tile is used on a floor, wall, or roof, for example, the tile will likely become dirty over time, and it will likely become desirable to clean the tile so that the tile provides a desired appearance. In addition, the slip resistance of a tile can be important to prevent people, machines, or other objects from slipping on the tile. In many circumstances, for example, it is desirable to prevent people from slipping on a tile floor, especially when the floor is wet.
Existing tiles and existing tile coatings do not provide for tiles that have both high clean-ability and high slip resistance. This is because, in conventional designs, as the slip resistance of the tile increases the clean-ability decreases, and as the clean-ability increases the slip resistance decreases. In other words, clean-ability and slip resistance typically have an inverse relationship because the surface that is required to optimize either cannot optimize the other. The rule of thumb is that a rough and textured surface has high slip resistance and low clean-ability, whereas a smooth and glassy surface has high clean-ability and low slip resistance.
What is needed, therefore, is a tile, tile coating, or similar coating that provides both high clean-ability and high slip resistance. It is to this need that embodiments of this disclosure are primarily directed.